


Evie

by FicNess



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Mpreg, Pregnant Harry, Pregnant Harry Styles, Premature Birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-30 02:01:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10866678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FicNess/pseuds/FicNess
Summary: "Could you do another premature baby one? Harry pregnant this time? Cheers doll. :)"





	Evie

Evie plus 11 weeks.

While Louis locked the front door Harry walked to the lounge and very carefully placed the baby carrier on the floor near the sofa and sat down, cross-legged, in front of it. He was almost scared to breathe. Scared to breathe, scared to move, fuck, he was scared to exist right now.

"I can't believe we finally got her home." He whispered, afraid to make too much noise, as if the bundle in front of him was too fragile for that. That the slightest sound and the fragile bubble would burst and their precious angel would be gone. “She’s here, I . . . just . . . I can’t believe it.” He slowly stretched an arm forward towards the baby carrier and the little girl inside grabbed his finger in her even tinier fist.

"Me neither." Louis dropped to the floor behind Harry, wrapping him in his arms. "She's so beautiful." Evie made happy, gurgling noises and kicked her tiny feet making her parents smile in awe.

"She's so small." She let go of Harry’s finger and he leant his body forward and stroked her soft cheek instead.

"She probably always will be." Louis leaned forward with him and dropped his head onto Harry's shoulder. "It's a miracle she made it at all."

Evie minus 29 weeks.

"No, no, no! You don't do it like that, you do it like this." Niall took the xbox controller from a madly giggling Harry and killed Liam's character with one shot.

"Horan you fucker!"

"Oh shit!” Niall struggled to his feet, tripping as he did, and ran from the room screaming like a banshee. Liam growled and followed, hot on his heels. Josh, Harry and Louis were left in the lounge rolling on the floor with laughter.

"Oh my God!" Harry struggled into an almost upright position. "I'm so glad that was Niall and not me." He hauled himself to the sofa, grabbing another beer from the table on the way. "Think he'll catch him?"

"It's Liam." Josh said as Louis climbed in behind Harry, throwing a leg either side of his hips and began to nibble and kiss his neck. "He'll catch him. He's had years of practice running after Louis to prep him.” 

Harry snorted with laughter and Louis made an affronted noise. Josh shrugged his shoulders in a ‘you know its true’ gesture then downed the last of his beer, turning his back to the pair on the sofa. Louis grabbed Harry’s chin and forced his head around so he could brush their lips together. Harry looked into Louis's eyes, which were holding a promise of a sore arse for Harry later that night, and whined under his breath. It’d been a long week of practice with not much alone time. As Louis pulled back, Harry swallowed heavily and his breathing hitched. He blinked and then a mischievous grin lit up his face. Why wait till tonight? He turned around and handed his beer to Josh, wobbled to his feet and walked off, Louis close behind.

"Hey, where are you . . ." Josh saw the look on Harry's face and smirked. "Never mind. I’ll tell ‘em practice is over for the day. And I’m having your share of the take away when Sandy gets back.“ He accepted the beer, laughing as he drank it.

By the time Liam was carrying Niall back in over his shoulder and Sandy was walking in to the room weighed down with bags of Chinese food a series of moans, panting and a headboard banging against the wall were drifting down the stairs. Liam dropped Niall face first onto the sofa. 

“Why did we decide to practice here today? Should’ve gone to the studio.”

Evie minus 23 weeks.

"Honey? You ok?" Louis pulled himself from their warm, cosy bed and into the bathroom where Harry was emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet. "Are you sick?” He almost face palmed as he said it because dumb question much?

Harry moaned and nodded, flushing the toilet. "Sick." He hauled himself to his feet and wiped his face before throwing the towel in to the washing basket. "Must be."

Louis grabbed a cloth and made it damp then went over to Harry. He wiped Harry's forehead before helping him back to the bedroom and putting him back to bed. "Sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

Harry didn't object but closed his eyes and was asleep again before he knew it.

Evie minus 22 weeks.

"Right, fucker, take this and do it.” Liam pushed Harry into the bathroom of their rehearsal space and handed him a small paper bag with a small rectangular box inside.

"What is it?"

Liam rolled his eyes. "You're really dense at times, you know that?" Harry snorted. "And right now I want to know whether I need to be buying you a crib or taking you to hospital."

“What?" Harry’s mouth dropped open and a hand fell to his stomach.

"Just take the test." Liam forced the bag in to Harry’s hand, closed the bathroom door and stood in front of it as Harry paced inside the small room.

"What the actual fuck?" He turned round and was about to kick the door when he remembered the bag in his hand. He opened it and took out the small box, turning it over so he could read it. "Fuck." He dropped the box then stood looking at it. "A . . . a pregnancy test? You think . . . Am I . . ." Harry trailed off.

"Well, we won't know till you wee on the stick will we? But if you want my opinion? Yeah, I think I'm about to be an uncle."

Harry picked up the box again, tearing it open and shaking out the stick. He read the instructions on the pack and then unbuckled his trousers.

Liam stood outside listening for the toilet flushing and then stood back as the door opened. "Well?"

"It's not done cooking." Harry looked at his watch. "Couple more minutes." They both sunk to the floor in the corridor, Liam nodded and Harry snuggled in to him. He could feel Harry practically vibrating under his arm. He watched him check the time, look at the stick and then go completely still. "Liam?" He looked down at Harry's face. "Liam . . . look."

Liam looked down at the stick too.

Evie minus 21 weeks.

Louis came home to find the table laid for dinner, complete with candles and soft music. In the centre of the table was a single red rose in a glass vase.

"Harry?"

"Kitchen." He called back.

"What's all this in aid of?” He checked his mental Harry diary. It wasn't his or his husbands birthday or any kind of anniversary. It wasn't the night before tour and he didn't think they were expecting visitors of any kind. 

Harry walked back into the room carrying two plates of steaming lasagne. "Sit down and I'll show you.” Louis smiled, visions of what was obviously a good night of kinky sex Harry had planned running through his head. This was definitely a pre-sex dinner. Harry sat down opposite him, smiling hugely. "Eat." 

Louis didn't need asking twice. He picked up his fork and dived in with gusto, finding himself half way through the meal before he was even aware he had taken more than two bites.

"So," Harry shifted awkwardly in his chair. "I have something to tell you."

Louis put his fork down and looked up at his husband. "Yeah?" Harry nodded. "Well spill.“ Harry leant down and picked up a small wrapped package from the floor and handed it to Louis without saying a word. "What's this?" He took the package and turned it over in his hands. It was floppy and small. So small he had no idea what it was.

"You won't know till you open it."

Louis smiled and slowly tore the paper open, a tiny buttermilk coloured romper suit falling on to the table. He picked it up and looked at the tiny grey bunnies stitched on the front. "Why'd you get me this?"

"Well, I figured since we were gonna be needing some in about thirty two weeks, we needed to start somewhere."

"Oh, right." Louis was on his way to putting the tiny piece of clothing back down when he did a double take, the words actually sinking in to his brain. "Wait. You mean . . . this is . . . thirty two weeks . . . you're . . ."

Harry grinned and nodded. "I'm pregnant."

Evie minus 20 weeks.

Niall was sprawled over the sofa, surrounded by Tomlinson-Deakins, Styles and Twists, glasses of champagne in their hands. Liam was grinning and propped up in the doorway, already in on the secret, with a puzzled Josh standing beside him. Other family members and friends were scattered all over the living room, each holding their own glass.

"So, nice as it is to see you and get free booze, what's this little get together in aid of? We've done the engagement thing, you've done the married thing, so don't keep us guessing."

Louis grinned at Gemma, straight to the point as always. He took Harry's hand and pulled him closer. Lottie looked at Harry’s glass, full of orange juice instead of champagne, and Louis could see the moment when understanding made her face light up, and with that many siblings it would be her to catch on first. She let out a rather undignified squeak and fought the urge to get up and hug them both. Harry giggled, seeing her visibly pull herself back.

"So." Louis started. "We obviously have something to tell you all, otherwise we wouldn't have gathered you all here in the first place."

"No shit, Sherlock." Niall got a slap on the thigh from Lottie.

"I think the easiest way would just be to come out with it." Gemma clamped her hand over Niall's mouth, knowing if she didn't a smart-arse remark about Louis coming out years ago would have spilled from his mouth. As she did Harry dropped a hand to his stomach, only to find Louis's already on its way there. "Thing is . . . Harry's pregnant."

Evie minus 17 weeks.

"Ok, so this is your dating scan. We should also be able to tell if there is any risk of your baby having Downs syndrome by looking at the back of his neck."

Louis grabbed Harry's hand, smiling but with a hint of worry in his eyes. "How likely is it that it's gonna have Down's syndrome?"

"Lets see. Harry, you're 28, right?" Harry nodded as she surveyed his, rather thick, medical records. "One in a thousand." Harry and Louis smiled, relieved with those odds. "That's quite a think file you have."

"Yeah." Harry nodded. “I’m a little clumsy, especially on stage."

The nurse flicked through the pages, laughing at the things she read. "So I see."

"Hazard of being a rock star." Harry laughed. 

“Hazard of being you, you mean.” Louis giggled and Harry leant out to slap him on the thigh.

The nurse smiled and shook her head. "Now, lets get this started shall we? I need you to just hitch your shirt up and unbutton your jeans and get them down a little." Harry complied and the nurse tucked a blue paper towel into the waistband of his boxers, which she also moved down just a little. "Ok, this is gonna be cold. This blue gel goes on your tummy. Helps me get a clearer picture of baby."

Harry nodded but still hissed at the contact of the gel on his stomach. "You weren’t kidding."

The nurse laughed. "Now I just move this thing over your tummy, and the picture comes up on the screen.” She began to run the probe over the gel and smiled as the picture came into focus. She pressed buttons, taking some measurements, and then turned the screen to face Harry and Louis. "There's your baby."

Both their faces lit up and Louis felt tears forming in his eyes. "That’s . . ."

"Yep." She said. "There's it's head," she pointed to the screen, "legs, feet, and if you look closely it's sucking it's thumb. And this," she pressed one more button, “is its heartbeat.”

"Oh my God!" Harrys own eyes teared up as he stared, mesmerised at the image on the screen. The soft whomp-whomp of a tiny heartbeat filled the room.

"No signs of Down's syndrome or any other abnormalities and I'd say by the size of the baby, your blood test results and the information you've given us you’re due mid August. I’d say the fifteenth." The nurse pressed a button and some pictures began to print. "And we're all done." She handed Harry another piece of paper towel and he wiped the gel from his stomach and readjusted his clothing.

Louis helped him from the table and on to his feet. "Um, can I ask something?" Harry looked at Louis and rolled his eyes, knowing exactly where this was going. 

"Sure."

"Shouldn't he be showing a little by now? I mean, all his stupid skinny jeans still fit."  Harry slapped Louis around the head and the nurse laughed again.

"No, it's perfectly normal. When a mum starts to show varies from person to person and from pregnancy to pregnancy. When the baby is ready to show you it's there it will." She handed them the pictures and Harry squeaked delightedly.

Evie minus 16 weeks.

"This is all your fault." Harry was stood huffing in front of the mirror while Louis tried not to laugh from his position on the bed. "If you hadn't said anything they'd still fit."

"Haz," Louis stood up and walked over to his husband, wrapping his arms around him so his hands landed on the, now starting to be visible, bump. "it's our baby, making sure everyone knows it's there. And it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Evie minus 14 weeks.

Harry sat down on the chair and swung his guitar into his lap, plucking out a random scale on the freshly changed strings. Josh looked at him and made his thoughtful face.

"You know, maybe we should postpone the tour. Give the baby a chance to arrive before we head out?” Josh suggested.

"Don't be stupid." Harry played a couple of loud chords in Josh's direction. "I've got 26 weeks before I'm due to pop. We head out in six weeks and were out for what, eleven weeks in total? I'll still have nine weeks left. No problem."

Liam laughed. "Well, there may be one. What if you get huge? You won't be able to reach your guitar."

"Shut the fuck up!” Harry swore, putting his guitar down. "I'm not gonna get that big."

Niall grinned. "You might you know. I knew this one chick, Mandy, she got so big she . . ."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” Harry covered his ears and turned away from the rest of the band.

Liam was now nearly wetting himself with laughter behind him. "Ok, ok." He spluttered. "We won't pull the tour, we should give it a go. Take our usual back up with us and worst comes to the worst he can fill in."

"Andy?" Louis nodded his head, liking Liam’s idea, and Harry sighed. "He's out with Little Mix."

Louis looked thoughtful for a while. “Is Ed out at the moment?"

Josh took a piece of paper from his pocket that said ‘Summer Tour Schedules' on it in big letters and scanned the names. "Nope, no Ed."

"Well, let's take him with us." Louis said.

"Fuck no." Liam looked positively terrified. "Harry and Sheeran on the same bus?"

Josh cackled with laughter and Niall went wide eyed. Louis carried on talking. "Who else do we know who could pick up the entire back catalogue in enough time? I mean, he wrote some it.”

"We get labelled hipster enough without that." Louis threw an empty coke can at Niall.

"And anyone else we might ask is already on tour. So what do you reckon?" One by one the band smiled, and nodded. "Okay, done. I'll get in touch with him tonight."  
Evie minus 13 weeks.

Ed arrived at 5.30am on a Wednesday. ”So so so!" Ed was bouncing up and down with a huge grin on his face. "Why am I here?"  
"Well," Louis looked to Harry, asking for permission and Harry nodded. "I managed to knock Harry up. Anyway, problem is we're worried he's gonna get a little too big . . ." Harry kicked Louis in the shin. "Ow, I'm only saying what we said. So we're worried he's either gonna get too big or sometimes he won’t feel up to playing.” Harry sulked. Now he was playing guitar on the tour he didn't want to stop.  
Ed nodded. "I get that. And congratulations. But what's it got to do with me?"  
Josh rolled his eyes and sighed. "They want you to fill in dumbass."  
Ed's eyes went wide. "Really? Really really?"  
Louis grinned. "Yeah, you've got five weeks to learn all the tracks you need to. Think you can? Do you want to?"  
Ed hugged Louis and Harry, muttering 'Oh my God'. He then went round hugging everyone else.  
"I'd take that as a yes." Harry grinned.Evie Minus 11 weeks.

It took Ed precisely two weeks to learn all the songs he would need for the tour. Harry was amazed, but increasingly grateful. He was now eighteen weeks pregnant with a growing bump and severe tiredness. When he wasn't playing he was sleeping. Which suited the rest of the band fine as they only had one hipster guitarist to deal with.Evie minus 9 weeks.

"I don't want to do this." Harry was sulking.  
"We don't have a choice Haz. None of your stuff fits anymore.” Louis wrapped an arm around his shoulder, squeezing gently.  
Harry folded his arms over his chest where they rested on his now very obvious baby bump. "Ok, but I want cool stuff. And some new stage stuff too."  
Louis nodded and placed a gentle kiss on Harrys forehead. "Nothing’s too good for you." He let a hand stray to Harrys bump. "Both of you."  
XX  
The next day Liam walked to Harry and Louis's place, a newspaper in his hand. "I think it's time for a press release."  
Splashed across the front page was a large picture of Harry and Louis in the mum and baby store, a caption underneath proclaiming Harry as pregnant.  
"Yep." Louis agreed.  
XX  
One Direction friends and family worldwide. We're sorry you had to hear it from a shitty tabloid, but we have to say that the news reports are true. Harry is 20 weeks pregnant and due on the 15th August. He'll still be coming on tour with us, so don't worry. But we're bringing Ed Sheeran with us to fill in as and when he's needed. We can't wait to see you all again on the tour!Louis and HarryEvie minus 8 weeks.

"Same drill as last time. Pants down, shirt up." Harry obeyed the nurse instantly, pulling his clothing into the appropriate position. The nurse tucked in a blue paper towel and picked up the gel, quickly squirting him on the bump and picking up the probe. "Ready to see baby?"  
Louis and Harry nodded excitedly and the nurse began to move the probe around. She pressed some buttons and made a few notes then turned the screen around for them to see, turning on the sound so they could hear the heartbeat.  
"Baby looks perfect for twenty one weeks. And I got a brilliant view of the vital areas earlier. Want to know the sex?'  
"No." Harry said emphatically "We want to surprised."  
The nurse smiled and printed out some pictures for them.Evie minus 7 weeks.

A week into tour things had been going brilliantly. They were performing well, the crowds had been amazing and they had received tonnes of baby clothes and toys from fans. Ed had joined them on stage a couple of times to play - just for fun - as a third guitarist and once on keys. Despite being twenty two weeks pregnant Harry was still trying to outdo his usual stage antics, leading to some of the most energetic performances they’d ever given. After a show when Ed had joined them the whole band were sitting around exhausted and sweaty. Harry suddenly sat up and gasped. Louis was at his side in a second.  
"Haz? You ok?"  
A huge grin broke his face in two. "Oh my God, yes! It's kicking! Baby is kicking!"  
Louis and Ed both made rather girlie squeaking noises, their hands flying to Harry's bump. Harry just sat back and smiled as his baby kicked inside him and his husband and friends tried to feel the movements too. He was only a little upset that it was too early for them and this was still just his for now.Evie minus 4 weeks.  
By twenty five weeks Harry's bump had become quite impressive and the baby incredibly active. "Ed?"  
Harry was sprawled on the sofa, both hands rubbing over his bump. Ed bounded over, his own hands reaching to play with the tiny feet and hands that pressed against Harry's skin.  
"Yeah?" He giggled as he tickled a tiny foot.  
"I can't do it tonight I'm exhausted and feeling sick."  
Ed looked up at him, wide eyed, and swallowed heavily. "You mean . . ."  
Harry nodded. "Yeah, all yours tonight."  
Ed looked torn between pure excitement at being able to play a whole show as Harry’s replacement and sadness that Harry wasn't feeling well "You sure?"  
Harry nodded and smiled, guiding Ed's hand to where a tiny hand was pressing lower down, the baby now upside down and possibly trying to push itself the right way up again. "Yeah, but don't get too comfortable. There's no way you'll be able to compete with me, Sheeran.”  
"Oh," Ed did his best insulted look, "oh it's on!"Evie minus 1 week.

"You ready Ed?" Harry grinned, handing over his Les Paul just in time for the encore.   
Ed, his smile as wide as he'd ever had it, took the guitar and slipped it over his very One Direction t-shirt. "You coming back on tonight?"  
Harry shook his head, pressing a hand into the small of his back. "Second half is all yours."Evie.

It had seemed like a pretty normal day, right up to the point when the pains started. Even then it didn't seem that unusual. Just backaches and an achy pelvis, hardly unusual at twenty nine weeks pregnant. But as the day wore on the pains got worse and moved closer together. Harry had begun pacing, the movement seeming to help a little, but he was barely aware he was doing it. Liam had begun to watch him, his expression changing from curious to worried as Harry began to stop his pacing roughly every ten minutes and suck in a breath before carrying on.   
"Um, Harry?" Harry stopped pacing and turned to look at Liam, one hand on the bump and one pressed into his back. "How long have you been in pain for?"  
"Kinda all day. But it's just how it is when you're this pregnant." Harry looked down at his bump.  
"Is it the same sort of pain that you've been having recently or is it different?"  
"It's a little different. More like cramping I guess."  
Alarm bells were ringing in Liam's head. Ok, so he didn't have any kids of his own, or a medical degree, but he'd known enough female friends and relatives to know what labour sounded like. "Has it been getting closer together?"  
Harry looked thoughtful. "Yeah, maybe."  
Liam stood up and nodded then went to the bunks, calling for Louis. Harry continued his pacing, now getting a little worried as the pain was definitely increasing. They could hear voices coming from the bunks and then a loud "Fuck!" from Louis, who came flying into the back lounge.   
"Baby, are you ok?" Harry looked at his husband who was white and visibly trembling; he reached forward and placed a hand on Harry's bump. Just as he did Harry made a hissing noise and his belly tightened. Louis's eyebrows flew up and he looked around, panicked. ”Harry, I think you're in labour." He said.  
"What? I can't be! I'm only twenty nine weeks! That's imp . . ." But he never finished the sentence as at that moment he felt a rush of liquid and the front of his trousers darkened.  
"Your water just broke." Liam said, taking his phone from his pocket and calling for an ambulance.  
XX  
Niall, Liam and Ed were sat in the waiting room of the hospital, all of them silent. Phone calls to all the relevant people had been made and that night’s gig had been pulled. New York would just have to deal. They had been at the hospital for nine hours now and no one had told them anything. That is until a bedraggled figure in black shuffled down the corridor.

“Louis!” Niall shot from his seat and ran into the corridor, throwing himself around his exhausted looking band mate. Louis’s eyes were red rimmed and he looked tiny. It only took one look to know something really wasn’t right. The rest of the waiting crowd followed Niall and surrounded him.

“They couldn’t stop it.” His voice was croaky and he sounded so tired. “The labour was too far along. He . . . he . . .” Louis began to cry and Niall pulled him tightly to him as his shoulders shook. After a while he composed himself and pulled away a little, wiping his eyes. “She’s beautiful . . . So damn beautiful. But so tiny.”

“She?” 

Louis nodded at Ed’s question. “Yeah. She. We’ve got a daughter. She’s in the NICU, hooked up to all kinds of machines. But she’s just . . . amazing. Thirty five centimetres long and about a thousand and a bit grams. And she has hair, just a little, but it’s brown. Her skin is practically see thorough and she’s a little jaundiced, but she’s fighting. Harry’s been sedated. He was a little . . .” Louis waved his hands around, but no one needed him to finish the sentence.

“Can we see her?” Josh asked. 

Louis nodded and lead them upstairs.

Evie plus 1 week.

Harry stood beside Evie, her name now written in black marker on the side of her incubator. A feeding tube lead directly to her stomach, Harry having provided milk for her so he could still feed her when she eventually came home. A nasal breathing tube was helping her to breathe, her lungs still incredibly immature. The special light that was needed to cure her jaundice had finally been removed and Harry thought she looked a little more comfortable.

Louis walked through the door of the NICU and Harry immediately smiled and ran over to him, wrapping himself around him. “So, how’s our little girl doing?” He asked, placing a kiss to Harry’s forehead.

“Good. She’s holding in there, putting up a fight.” Harry sighed. “We miss you though.”

“I know, and believe me I’d be here if I could. But . . .”

“Yeah. I know. Finishing the tour. But having you here as often as you can manage is good.” Harry pulled Louis over to the incubator to show him their daughter. “She’s grown about a centimetre and she’s gained nearly two hundred grams.”

“That’s fantastic.” Louis said, putting his hand on top of the incubator.

“Yeah,” Harry smiled at the tiny baby, “yeah it is.”

XX

Dear One Direction family worldwide.  
It is with sadness that we have to announce Harry’s withdrawal from the rest of the tour. Last week, and completely unexpectedly, he went into premature labour in New York. We now have a stunningly beautiful baby girl and she’s fighting hard. Please keep her in your hearts as she starts to recover. We will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support.  
Louis and Harry.

Evie plus 5 weeks.

The nurse was carefully helping Harry to give a sleeping Evie a wash. He was still in shock in a way. She shouldn’t be here yet. He was supposed to be hitting week thirty four of his pregnancy, not sat in a hospital for five weeks now, looking after his tiny daughter. Louis appeared over his shoulder, a bottle in his hand. He still looked exhausted, but at least the tour was over and he could be here full time. 

“Here you go, all ready. We’re running out though, so . . . you know.” Louis made vague gestures around Harry’s chest area and Harry shook his head.

“For a lyricist you’re not very articulate, you know that?” Harry picked up Evie who had begun to make noises of displeasure. “Shh, shh, it’s ok.” He held her carefully to his shoulder and gestured for Louis to sit down in the chair next to the open incubator she now lived in for half her time. “Daddy’s gonna feed you. It’s ok.”

Harry carefully handed Evie to Louis, making sure she was settled before digging out some clean clothes for her as he watched her suckle. 

The nurse smiled at the small family. “She’s gaining weight well. Her last weigh in she was just over two thousand grams. And a little under forty five centimetres long.” Louis and Harry both looked ecstatic. “We’re hoping to send her home with you once she hits about fifty centimetres long and just under three thousand grams. So that’s size and weight wise about thirty seven weeks. We also need her to be able to keep her own temperature up in an open crib for forty eight hours, and to keep putting on weight without needing tube feeding.”

Harry felt a tear slip down his cheek. “We never thought she’d get this far.”

“She’s done well.” The nurse leaned down to stroke her cheek. “Really well. I bet you can’t wait to get her home.”

“Neither can any of our friends and parents. I mean, we’d offered to fly anyone who wanted out and most of them have come to see her at least twice. But they want to see her . . . all the time.” Louis tipped the bottle a little more to stop Evie taking in too much air and getting sick. “New York is a long way from England, but you guys have done so much for her. “

“How could we not for this little angel.” The nurse stroked Evie’s cheek and then left her with her parents.

Evie plus 8 weeks.

“I know it’s distressing,” the doctor said as he adjusted some dials on the machine attached to Evie, “but infections in premature babies are common. We’ve given her some medication and put her back on oxygen and she seems to be responding well. I know you wanted to take her home this week, but when she’s this sick you can’t.”

Harry began to cry as Louis held him tightly, tears leaking from the corners of his own eyes. The doctor squeezed Louis’s shoulder and walked off.

“She’s equivalent to thirty seven weeks gestation.” A nurse said, walking up to the pair who were holding each other tightly for support. “She’s well over the worst of it. And she’s responding to the treatment for the infection. We might have to put the feeding tube back in as she can’t really be handled like this, but she’s going to be fine.”

The nurse walked off to make them coffee and Harry and Louis huddled together, crying like they hadn’t done since the week she was born.

Evie plus 10 weeks.

“Morning mom and dad.” Evie’s nurse smiled at them as they walked through the door. “And how are we this morning?”

“Yeah, good.” Louis squeezed Harry’s hand, their fingers laced together.

“I’ve got some news for you both.” Harry immediately looked panicked, his breathing hitching in his chest. “Good news. Evie can go home at the end of the week.”

“Oh my God! Louis, she’s . . . we can . . . it’s . . . Jesus.” Harry began to cry as he wrapped his arms around his husband, tears once again spilling from his eyes. Only this time they were tears of happiness.

Evie plus 11 weeks.

“Ok,” A nurse helped Harry and Louis put Evie in a nappy and romper suit, the one that Harry had presented Louis with when he’d first told him about Evie. “As soon as you get her back take her to the doctors and get her registered. And she’ll need a follow up appointment with a paediatrician.”

“Ok.” Harry picked up his precious little girl and gave her a cuddle before laying her carefully into the car seat for the long journey home.

“She needs feeding every four hours. You’ll know it’s right if she uses about seven diapers a day. And her sleeping is going to be lots of short spells but still more than an average newborn.” Louis nodded. “And don’t be surprised if she’s a little slow to grow for the first couple of years.” Louis tucked a warm blanket around Evie and then helped Harry to his feet, smiling like the proudest dad in the world. “She may take a couple of days to adjust to the breast after the feeding tube and bottle, but she will. So keep at it and give her bottle feeds occasionally if she doesn’t seem to be eating enough. Any problems take her to your doctor or hospital.” She handed them a pile of papers with advice and official documents. “And above all, enjoy her.” 

“Oh we will, we will.” Harry took Louis’s hand after hugging all the staff and they left the hospital. A signed photo of the band and a couple of pictures of Harry, Louis and Evie pinned to the baby board.

Evie plus 12 weeks.

The crowd were all gathered in Harry and Louis’s front room. Evie was snuggled up in a Moses basket in the middle of the room, gurgling at everyone and grabbing fingers and hair as it got in her line of vision. Her little legs and arms waved in the air.

“If I could have everyone’s attention.” Louis tapped the side of his champagne glass with a spoon and eventually the room went quiet. “Thanks. First of all I want to thank you all for all the support you’ve given us. Being so far away from home when something like this happens . . . well, it wasn’t easy. So thanks. I also want to thank Ed for stepping in for Harry and helping us finish the tour. Cheers, mate. You’re a legend. You made things a lot easier as we could leave Harry with Evie in New York. And finally, I want to thank my darling husband, Harry. Because without him we wouldn’t have Evie with us today. So help yourselves to food and help us enjoy our little girl. To Evie.”

“To Evie.” The crowd repeated.

After the toast everyone went back to eating, drinking and cooing over Evie. Apart from Lottie and Tommy, who walked over to Harry with the rest of the Tomlinson-Deakins in tow.

“Lottie!” Harry threw an arm around his step sister’s shoulders. “Want a cuddle with Evie?” She nodded vigorously. Harry carefully picked her up and laid her in her waiting arms.

“Oh wow, she’s so tiny. Look Tommy, she’s beautiful.” Lottie began to coo over her as Tommy shook his head.

“So why Evie?” Lottie asked.

Harry looked at his tiny daughter. “It means life.”

The rest of the family smiled although Lottie continued cooing. Harry looked over at her. “Hey, is she ok?”

“Yeah.” Tommy rolled his eyes. “Just hormones.”

“Hormones?” Harry grinned. “You mean . . .”

“Seven weeks.” Tommy said, trying to look exasperated but only pulling off pride. 

Harry smiled, Tommy had no idea what was ahead of him . . .


End file.
